Is this a normal, healthy hoof? This hoof is not symmetrical - the hoof wall on the left side of the photo is more upright, while the wall on the right side of the photo is slanted outward.
Author, veterinary pathologist, and authority on equine biomechanics and anatomy Dr. James Rooney, DVM, says yes – and no.
Left and right hooves are often symmetrical images of each other mirrored across the center line of the horse’s body, yet are not symmetrical across their own center lines.
Look at the photo of the hoof on the left. Is this a right hoof, or a left hoof? (Answer below.) The inside wall of most horse hooves appears steeper, while the outside wall has a more gradual slope.
